Nvr expect that I'll leave Theoretical Physics one day. I was a passionate freshman with an ambitious dream when I was first entering National University of Singapore 3 years ago. Being a great fans of R.P.Feynman, E.Schrodinger and J.S.Bell, I always dream about standing at the equalfooting poing with them one day. I was even stupid enough to reject the offer in Material Engineering (there are less than 15 people in my high school who are getting the offer from Engineering Faculty in MU) from Malayan University. My father was quite disagree with my decision at the first but he nvr force me when i was in the fork of life. I remember i told him tat I wanted to spend my life focusing on the discovery of truths that would live forever rather than wasting my time juz to earn money. I thought I was different from ordinary people until I have to accept the truth that my ambition would not be realised. I was so disappointed when I found that Physics had the room at top for only a handful of people, of course an extraordinary person that I will nvr be. Besides I saw many of my Physics senior struggling in their master degree, some of them are tutors in NUS with a monthly salary of 2500-3000 dollars (there will nvr hav bonus for these tutors), some of them are research assistant with 1800 -2200 dollars. Well I'm not complaining anything about the salary but sometimes we hav to be realistic. Of course you can survive with 3000 dollars (in fact it was a good paid for any fresh graduate) a month. The problem is, studying post graduate is nvr an easy job and it might take 3-5 years. Are u going to live with the same amount of salary without any bonus for tat period? What if u have a girlfren? How are u going to plan ur life (like marry ur love one) with 3000 dollars per month when u r almost 30 years old? When I think about tat, i feel really demoralized in pursuing a higher degree in Physics. I know I come from a "traditional" family and my relatives will nvr understand, my parents will be bombarding by questions like: ha? king liang still studying? how old is he now? 29!!! oh my God! when is he going to graduate? Why is he still studying? bcoz he cant find a job outside with a Physics degree? Wat's he doing now? a research assistant? wat's tat? 2200 dollars per month? how are u going to survive in SG? did ur girlfren complain about tat?........blablabla.....yayayaya...........now can u see my problems?
I went for a Master degree information session in Singapore Management University (SMU) last month. I actually plan to study my master there with a degree in Applied Economics or Quantitative Finance (with a concentration in Economics). Tat's y I need a minor in Economics in order to get into SMU. (I even thinking of giving up my honours degree in Physics but getting a double major degree in Physics and Economics(shared major), will it be more realistic to me?....anyway it just a consideration). I hope I can work in the banking sector or a securities firm one day. I went to the OCBC bank career talk yesterday and quite interested in applying the Trainee Banking Officer programme there in OCBC Securities Department (sorry, the word securities and "security" really make abig difference, I know most of my fren thought that i'm going to be a security when i told them want to work in security firm, I'm telling u guys that securities means the stock market and pls check ur dictionary.). However my dream bank will be Credit Suisse (a Swiss Bank) though I dun think i can make myself in.Anyway my dear dear Sally is being supportive in my choices (she just dun want me to be a teacher though i dunno y, haha! i lov u dear). I had told my parents about my changing decision and they are quite shock with my decision at the first. Anyway my papa said it sounds more realistic ( I know he always hope his son can work in banking area one day as he want me to be as successful as my cousin, Cindy who now work in Credit Suisse with a monthly salary of 6600 dollars and juz got her bonus of 28000 dollars! and she was graduated from NTU 4 years ago , she always advise me to giv up physics and stop being a muggers, and make my way to banking sector. emm......a typical Singaporean Girl juz like my girlfren Sally, haha!!!)
So is time to choose ur heaven: CERN (European High Energy Physics Centre) or Wall Street (juz like the pic above)?
